Germany has announced continued financial and technical support for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal but has ruled out destroying weapons on German territory.
"We will have no chemical weapons destruction activity in Germany," Chancellor Angela Merkel said in response to a question during a joint press conference with visiting Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
Merkel however reconfirmed her country’s continued support for financial, technical and logistical support for the activities of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.
Germany has internationally renowned technology and capabilities in destruction of chemical weapons. Currently German experts are assisting elimination of toxic weapons in various ways in several different countries. Berlin has allocated two million euro so far for the OPCW mission in Syria, gave training for OPCW staff and supported their air transport to Syria.
A recent speech of Christoph Heusgen, one of the foreign policy advisers of Merkel, has led to the speculation that Germany may host the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons.
Heusgen told a recent panel meeting that he cannot exclude the option of Germany’s contribution to the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons.
Germany’s chemical weapons disposal facility in Muenster, and the Military Institute for Protective Technologies in this city are known with their expertise in this field.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
